Losing a Friend
by ChelberNo1
Summary: Aang. Bumi. Kuzon. Three boys from three different nations. All best friends. Inseparable, that's what people said about them. But what happens after the Air Nomad Genocide? One goes missing, no one knows where. Assumed dead. One feels like they have betrayed the world, his friends, his country. The other, left all alone. /Hiatus AGAIN


**A/N: And this story is back in business!**

**Thank you to everyone who supported me in the first version of this! I can't say how much it meant to me! The reviews and favourites and followers were just awesome. And a massive thanks to Brisalad for the review that made me get my act together and finish this chapter off – it was so nice it, made me cry. **

**Also, a massive thanks to ngrayartspot on Tumblr for drawing the cover for me! (Go check her out, she's amazing!) **

**So, about this. The main focus is, you guessed it, Aang's, Bumi's and Kuzon's friendship, and what happened during and after the war. The first few chapters of this'll be all happy and fun, but as soon as the war starts… it's going to be intense. Angst and everything. I honestly have no idea how long this will be, and, to be honest, I'm still figuring out parts of the plot. I'll put up any trigger warnings as they come. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy the brand new Chapter One! **

* * *

_8 Years before the Genocide (4 years after Avatar Roku's death)_

* * *

It wasn't unusual for air nomads to be seen in Fire Nation towns and villages. Especially one like this; settled at the base of a mountain, surrounded by forest. It was a peaceful town, despite its size. Everybody got on with each other, and there was rarely need for violence of any kind. All sorts of tropical flowers and plants grew around the landscape, with an abundance of wildlife and greenery.

Naturally, the air nomads were drawn to it.

Every few weeks, a new group would pass through, if not stay a few nights. They'd suddenly come sliding down the mountain, or emerge from the forest, laughing and talking, often dragging tired sky bison behind them.

Some of the villages would go out to greet them, offer them a place to stay. Sometimes, the nomads would agree, if they were in a small group, with only two or three people. If they were travelling with a larger group, they'd politely decline, saying they wouldn't want to inconvenience anyone. They'd make camp out in the woods, because, after all, the cold wouldn't bother them, they'd always say. It was always warm in this part of the world.

Kuzon never used to understand that. Wasn't it this warm everywhere? Maybe the airbenders were just having a joke…

Sometimes, some of the village children – often lead by the braver, older kids – would sneak into the forest at night, when they knew airbenders were camping out. Kuzon always demanded to come as well, much to the disgust of the older kids. They'd always say he was too young, Kuzon would scowl, and shoot tiny fire balls at their knees.

"I'm four! I come!" He'd shout, stomping his foot.

The older kids would shush him up, worried that he would wake the village. 'Okay, okay! You can come! You just have to promise to keep quiet.'

So Kuzon would happily trot after them every time they snuck out to visit the camping nomads. It was easy to find them; there was a clearing not far from the village that had a creek running through it. Almost always, they'd set up camp there.

The first few times they snuck out, they'd crept around the tree line, debating in hushed whispers if they should just come right out and join them, or send a message, or _something_ ('Quick, someone, run back home and grab a messenger hawk!').

The air nomads used to stop what they were doing and listen to them argue, trying not to laugh too loud, until one of them took pity on the kids.

"Hey, why don't you stop hiding in the trees and just join us?" this nomad would call, while the rest sniggered. Kuzon and the rest of the kids would walk out, shame-faced.

After a few times, they stopped hiding in the trees and just walked into their campsite, asking if they could join them. The nomads always said yes.

The nomads were nice. They'd all sit in a circle around the campfire, swapping stories and tales. The nomads told stories of flying in the clouds, of peaceful temples, of all the places they've travelled, and of the first airbenders (Kuzon would always glance over his shoulder at the sky bison, wondering how one of _those _could teach a person bending).

The Fire Nation kids told stories, too. They had heard enough myths and legends from their parents. They weaved tales of fire princesses living in volcanoes, and dragons hoarding treasure in caves. They even told the old wife's tale of the girl whose village was under attack, so she painted red patterns onto her skin and tried to frighten the enemy off, but they chased her, chased her off a cliff and into the river below.

Kuzon always thought that story was just a myth, but when they told that tale to a certain group of airbenders, they went silent, glancing at each other. They changed the subject pretty quick.

Some of the airbenders even had instruments, a flute maybe, or sometimes a banjo or a fiddle. They'd sing, playing songs about distant places and everlasting love. The Fire Nation kids would teach them some of their own songs, especially the one about the cow-pig that got stuck up the tree. The nomads always laughed out loud at that one.

Eventually, after a few hours, a couple of exasperated parents would come and claim all of the children, apologising to the nomads (they always chuckled and said they didn't mind the company), and giving the older kids a talking to ('What have we said before? You do _not _go out into the forest at night and annoy the airbenders! And you're leading the youngins astray – you're _meant_ to be setting an example!').

Kuzon's mother would often have to carry him home; his little legs would be tired, his eyelids heavy, his head swimming with all of the stories and songs and conversations. He would fall asleep, resting against his mother's shoulder, while they were still walking through the forest.

Sometimes, the next morning, the nomads would be milling around the town. All of the stalls seemed to interest them, and the town never had a market without a group of airbenders showing up. They had a strange bartering system – sometimes they'd have money, but more often than not they had strange items, like necklaces or charms, or more sensible items, like healing lotions and plants that they'd trade for whatever it was that they desired.

Kuzon would watch them from his bedroom window – grounded for the day for sneaking out – as they walked around the streets, before returning to the forest to get their bison and fly away, or they'd snap their gliders open and fly back up the mountain.

Sometimes, he'd wish he could follow them, where ever they went. It always seemed exciting, traveling the world – who knows what would be out there! His father often spoke of the Ocean, the great water, and Kuzon would bet the airbenders would have seen _that. _Maybe they've even been to the Fire Nation Capitol, seen the Royal Palace…

Kuzon would often daydream of the adventures he would have if he could fly. One day, maybe when he was older, as old as his father, maybe, he would travel. He would see the Ocean, the Palace, and whatever the world had to offer him.

* * *

He was actually walking around the streets with his mother when the bison passed overhead.

He heard it before he saw it; the furry creatures always do a type of roar when they're descending, and the shadow they make is unmissable. Hearing the familiar _whoosh _of the animal airbending, he squealed, tugging on his mother's skirt.

'Mum! Mum, the nomads, they here again!'

His mother chuckled, ruffling his hair. 'Yes, darling. Promise you won't go running around the forest tonight if they stay?'

'Okay, okay!'

The bison landed just outside of the village gates, out of Kuzon's sight. He tried to run to greet them with the few other villages headed that way, but his mother grabbed his collar before he could get two steps. 'Hey, now. You said you'd help your mother with the groceries! If you help me get a few more things, I'll let you go for the rest of the afternoon.'

Soon he was carrying a paper bag, almost as big as himself, full of groceries back to his home, his mother in front of him, arms full of bags and baskets. Once they offloaded everything in the kitchen, his mother pinched his check ('Leave off! Leave off, mum!') and handed him a few copper coins, a reward for being 'such a helpful little gentleman'.

Glowing with pride, he tore down the streets, to where he knew most of the stores were – if anywhere, the airbenders would be there.

There was more than what he expected. The largest group that had come in had been around ten, but now there had to be at least fifteen of the nomads, spread up and down the main street. But, Kuzon realized, the majority of them were kids, around his age.

A wave of shyness washing over him, he darted behind a stall, peeking out from around the corner of the table. He could see four adults, their bright orange and yellow robes standing out from the black and red around them. A cluster of the airbender kids hung around each one – Kuzon counted eleven of them.

He stood behind the stall for a while, not quite sure what to do, when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the kids, the same age as him, if not younger, coming towards his stall. Kuzon ducked further behind it.

The boy was alone, having wondered away from his group. He came right up to the stall, and tried to grip the top, probably to lever himself up to see what was on the top of it, but he wasn't tall enough. Kuzon watched as he tried jumping, little waves of air forming at his feet, but never got high enough to see over the top.

Shyly, Kuzon emerged from behind the stall, and poked at the boys arm. 'Hey, if you want, there's a few crates around the back you can stand on.'

The boy had jumped when Kuzon poked him, but now grinned at him. 'Thanks!'

Together, they dragged the old crate around to the side, and clambered on top of it. Kuzon could now see clearly over the top of the stall, but the boy beside him had to crane his head a little. The lady minding the stool caught them peeking over the edge and grinned at them.

'Kuzon!' she exclaimed, and Kuzon recognized her as Zamia, the local confectionary maker. To his delight, he saw that she was selling some of her sweets, the stall full of little jars full of rock candy and jellies. 'And who would your friend be?'

Kuzon glanced over at the boy again, still craning his neck to see. He smiled at Zamia. 'I'm Aang!'

'Hello, Aang, Would you like to buy something?'

Aang's face fell. 'I don't have any money, or anything.'

'I do!' Kuzon grabbed the coins from his pocket and dropped them on the stall's surface. 'I could get some sweets for us both.'

And so, a few minutes later, the two boys were sitting on the edge of a raised garden bed, near the centre of the village, a jar of sweets sitting between them. Aang had admitted he had never had Fire nation food before, not even lollies, and Kuzon couldn't believe him.

'Not even fire flakes?'

Aang shook his head.

'How can you not have fire flakes before? They're yummy!'

'Maybe I'll have some when I come next.' Aang said, eating another lolly. 'And maybe I'll have some of that wasiby as well.'

'Wasabi,' Kuzon corrected. 'And you could have some now! I bet if we go to Old Man Di's, he'll give us some…'

'Can't. I think we have to go soon – Gyasto said we couldn't stay.'

Disappointed that his new friend was leaving soon, he pouted. 'Is Gyasto one of the old nomads?'

Aang nodded. 'Though he's not usually a nomad, just a monk.'

'What's a monk?'

'Like a nomad, but they stay at the temples.'

Kuzon thought about this. 'Do all monks have arrows on their heads like nomads?'

'Yeah! We get arrows when we master airbending. One day, _I'll _have an arrow!'

'Really?' Kuzon stared at him, trying to imagine it. 'Wouldn't it be weird?'

'No. I'd be really proud. Gyasto said you have to work hard for your arrows.'

'So, kinda like when I clean my room, so my mum gives me pocket money, but with airbending and arrows instead?'

'_Exactly _like that.'

Before Kuzon could ask him something else, he heard someone calling Aang's name, and Aang looked around. 'That's Gyasto. I'd better go!'

He got up, and started running towards the source of the voice. 'Thanks for the lollies!' he called over his shoulder.

'Come back soon!' Kuzon called back.

'I will!'

* * *

**A/N: Gyasto was so having a heart attack when he found out that he lost Aang. He never let him out of his sight for the rest of the trip. **

**Oh my gosh, Kuzon is **_**adorable**_**. I can't handle him. Too cute. Aang is cinnamon roll. They're both potatoes. I just can't... **

_**Anyway**_**, please leave a review, maybe even a fav or follow…? :D **


End file.
